Innocence Of The Flute
by KeepItM
Summary: I used to in in Unova. While I was there I met the most inspirational Pokemon in my life a dewott. He has changed my perspective of the world completely. The sacrifices he made to teach me the most valuable lesson of my life still remains with me till this very day.


"Tell me _**your**_ story Matthew."

"Where should I begin?"

People come into your life for a reason, they open a door and when they leave they close it. This doors may lead to endless opportunities and lessons to be learnt and its up to you to make the most out of it before it slams shut. If you followed the right path, you can find yourself in a bottomless pit of riches or a soul mate. Of course, many doors ranging from different shapes, sizes and colours opened and closed in my life. It's hard to say if do regret any decisions I've made but no matter how you think about it, you can't swim up the river of time.

Out of all the things I have experienced, this one will forever remain the greatest door that I have stumbled upon (besides watching my first son hatch from his egg).

I used to live in Unova, a few years before the revolutionary manifesto, some where near the the harbour in Castelia city. I later moved to China whre people "accepted" you more. Living in Unova was socially difficult for me not because I'm bad with communicating with people, it's because I'm a serperior slithering around in public in a grey trench coat and fedora.

I would be minding my own business then a random stranger would stop me and ask. "Are you lost? I can help you find your way back."

"No thanks good sir, I'm perfectly fine." I would reply.

Generally, they would pause a few seconds to compensate that they are having a conversation with a snake in English.

"You-you can speak English?"

"What? Just because I'm a large green snake doesn't mean I can't learn the art of speech."

"Your trainer must be a genius, I would like to meet them someday."

"Lucky for you good sir, I'm a free man. I ain't obeying to any orders." I would often laugh. "Now if you would excuse me, I have a flute lesson to teach."

It definitely took me a few years to learn English, while learning the flute only took 7 months. There are many things in this world can you can experience and knowledge is one of them.

Teaching flute to people has become a primary job for me, 4 days a week. After teaching a student of mine that lives somewhere near the Castelia City Gym. I tend slither my way home along the shore because all the people there would be focusing on taking self portraits of the golden tinted ocean instead of taking pictures of a snake with a fedora. One afternoon, I was slithering down the same concrete road along the shore when I saw a dewott sitting on a wooden bench playing his silver flute.

Just because I was a flute teacher and some stranger Pokemon was playing flute doesn't mean anything. So, I carried on slithering then. "Eppp."

I paused for a second, apparently he was trying play a scale and he miss played a note/tune. I ignored it and carried on slithering.

"Eppp." The flute squeaked.

I paused again, ignoring the temptation.

"Eppp!"

"That's it! I had enough." I thought while turning myself around.

"Hey you! Dewott over there." I shouted at the water type. He turned around to check if I was calling for him. "You playing the scale wrong! It's goes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C not C, E, D, F, G."

He stared at the flute, then at his fingers before giving me the glance.

"Thanks." He said before turning back around resuming his practice.

I sighed and continued my journey slithering back home but even with my small "tutorial" it wasn't enough.

"Eppp." The flute went again. I immediately stopped turned back around and slithered in front of the of the bench were he was sitting on.

"What did I just tell you?" I said giving him a hidden frown.

"Umm..." He hesitated while fiddling with his fingers. "How do you play an A and B?"

"Oh my gosh." I laughed before I face vine whipped myself.

I pointed at the keys and asked him to try again, this time it sounded better.

"See, now it sounded better." I congratulated.

"Thanks serperior."

"What did you say? Next time the ask a person their name before addressing them. In this case call me Matthew."

"I'm sorry-" He apologised. "-but didn't you address me as Dewott? How did you jump to that conclusion without asking me?"

"That's because everyone here addresses their Pokemon as their species. It's not hard to guess any Pokemon's name. I had enough with Unovian people, I might just end up moving to China where people don't take pictures of me because I wear clothes."

"Well if you don't wear clothes people don't wouldn't take pictures of you."

"Not possible. First of all clothes provide pockets, secondly I don't feel comfortable being 'naked'."

"You're joking." He said, shaking his head.

"So, where is your trainer?" I started.

"Oh...every day after training I get some free time. I decided that I want to learn the flute-"

"Why do you choose to play this instrument?" I interrupted.

"Music brings people joy. In my eyes the flute represents youth and peace, every time when I play I would forget the problems I face everyday." The dewott smiled.

I smiled.

"Bring people joy...I haven't heard that in a long time. You remind me of someone. Everyone seems to be the taker." I said. "Well kid...I'll be seeing you around."

I slithered down the road, heading home.

"Umm...Matthew." He stopped me. "Is it okay if you come back tomorrow...to teach me."

"We will see, kid."

* * *

Just like that, I agreed to teach him the flute. Everyday, at the same time I would slither over to that bench to teach him the flute. We would tell jokes to each other and have a good time, he was the friend that I never had before. There something different about him that I never understood, he was a giver, the whole reason why he wants to play the instrument is because joy of other people drives him forward. What I used to perceive Unova has changed my view completely because of one dewott playing the flute. I no longer gave a crap if people were surprise if I could speak English, I no longer cared about what people thought of my clothing. I know there would always be the dewott there that's plays the flute of joy, removing all our problems, you can learn a lot from your students.

"How is your training?" I asked as he assembled he flute.

"Pretty good." Dewott replied.

"Can we try something different today?" He requested as he handed me a piece of paper.

"Yet to be broken." I read. "It's a very old song, I use to play it when I was young. In fact I still remember the lyrics."

"You do?" He questioned.

"Of course I do."

No light, no darkness, its hidden in plain sight.

An awakening, the seals of the black night.

So beautiful, so innocent, a change of the heart.

That can never be broken apart.

A storm of sympathy is waiting... for a chance…a chance...

I sang.

"It's a beautiful piece. Speaking of which, why this song?" I asked while humming the notes.

"Its nothing..." The dewott hesitated.

"Come on spit it out."

"Well...I want to play this piece to a servine I met at the gym. I rarely get to see her."

"I see where this going. How many eggs are you planning to make with her." I joked.

"Hey! I never said I was going to...fine. You win." He laughed as he pulled out badge and handed it to me.

"Take it." The dewott offered.

I grabbed it and lifted it up to inspect it. It was a souvenir, it had a samurott, serperior and emboar divided into its own region on the badge, on the bottom of the badge labelled "Unova".

"Since you said you might be moving to China, I brought you this badge so remind you that Unova was once your home. Pin it on your coat."

"Thanks." I said as I pinned it on.

"You remind me of an old friend of mine." I added.

"I guess you can count me as your new friend." The dewott finished.

* * *

He was one of my best friends in my life but I took him for granted. I should have not startled him, he taught me so much.

"Big improvement." I congratulated. Some people walking by stopped and clapped for us.

"Thanks." He replied.

"Have you played any pieces to your trainer Cale?" I asked as I look up into the dim grey sky. "Huh, its about to rain."

"Yes I did, I tried to explain what the songs were called but obviously I don't speak English."

"I would like to meet him someday." I added. The dewott paused and squinted at the middle section of my body before placing his hand on it.

"What are you doing?" I asked, he learned close to inspect it.

"Your skin." Dewott said. "It's a lighter shade of green. You're a crossbreed."

I paused, then my jaw dropped open. Out of all the people I have met he managed to figure out I was a crossbreed, I don't like people knowing. But he had already got my reaction, confirming his statement as fact.

I sighed, not knowing what to say. There is so much about me that I don't want to spill out but it looks like he was a step ahead of me. I shock my head denying it but it was no use, he was stuck on the idea.

"I-I don't know how to put this too you." I fretted. "Don't judge me."

"Come on. Please tell me what happened." The dewott nagged me.

"I really don't want to talk about this." I warned him.

"You seem bothered by this? What wrong? I'm not saying that just because you are a crossbreed I will treat you any differently, you look and you always will be a serperior. If you tell me, maybe we could resolve your problem. Tell me please, I want to hear it."

I began to stutter, old sweat started to form on my forehead before skirling down my cheeks. The memories are coming back as I try to put my perspective in comfortable fashion. I hate it when people ask me about my experiences in this world, but the dewott already figured out my identity.

"I am a inbred offspring. Dad was a samurott and mother was a serperior. I was told by my brother that he left the day before I was born. He kept on telling me he left for a good reason and that he will be back someday but he never did. I was born, hatched and raised in a forest somewhere in Oceana." I stuttered.

"As a snivy everyday I would repeat to myself, come back dad. Come back dad. He never did. I never saw him, not even a photo." I said, tears started to take over my eye as I tried to blink them away.

"The closest thing I have of him was his wooden flute." I added as I pulled the small instrument out of a pocket. "That's why I choose to learnt to play it, in honour of him."

"I'm-I'm sorry." The water type apologised, realising the damage he had done.

"Why did you come back dad? Why didn't you come back." I repeated to myself.

"What happened to your mother and brother?" He asked, adding fuel to the fire.

I had lost the ability to control the words coming out of my mouth, answering any present question.

"They…" I hesitated before giving in with the blinking, letting the tears loose. "They died protecting me. Those fucking poaches got'em. I saw them get shoot with my own eyes."

"Why didn't you come back dad? Why didn't you come back." I cried. "They probably made my mother into a belt or something."

"I-I-I'm speechless." He replied while watching my tears dye the trench coat. "I feel your pain."

"You have no idea what I have been through!" I yelled at him.

"I know how you feel, I've been in the same-"

"Have you been beaten so hard and have your arm torn off that you wish you were dead!" I interrupted. I took off my trench coat and threw it down in front of him revealing old scares slashed across my chest and a white patch symbolising a missing arm.

"I've-"

"Have you ever sacrificed every thing to protect your loved ones and only to see them die!"

"…no." He sighed.

"Exactly…" I cried. "Exactly."

"If it helps, I could play you a song." The dewott offered as he picks up the coat.

"I'm not in the mood." I muttered as I got up and tried to slither away.

"I'll play you a good one." The water type got up and chased me with the coat and flute in his hand.

"I said IM NOT IN THE MOOD." I turned around and yelled at him.

"It will be quick-" He said as he lifts the silver instrument up to his mouth.

I vine whipped the flute out of his hand sending it flying before it hit the concrete floor shattering a few keys.

"No one like your shitty songs! I have wasted my time teaching some kid the flute and what do I get in return?! Ear cancer!" I shouted.

The dewott ran over to the now broken flute and picked it up, my trench coat was in his other hand. Winds and waves started to pick up, rain was coming.

"I thought we were friends. You were fine yesterday." He said while suppressing all emotions with a broken smile.

"I was never your friend! I was never your friend today, yesterday, or the day before that. I am not your friend and no one will ever be!"

"I have dedicated my life to make people happy. This is what I want my life to be. I never meant to hurt you." He said, standing on where the flute had landed.

"You made no one happy! And I don't need your life nor do I need your dedication!"

"In that case." He laughed as he reached into a pocket of my coat and pulled out my silenced pistol and pointed it at me. Some people walking by panicked.

I keep a telescopic baton, a pistol, max potion and some pain killers just in case I get into action. Who knew that he felt out there was a gun in the pocket and pulled it out. I was an idiot throwing the coat, should have thought things through but my rage has got the best of me.

"It's a vintage." He said, inspecting the Mauser pistol.

"Put the gun down." I fretted while backing off.

"I'm not going to shoot you. After all, you did say I don't need your life." The dewott smiled and pointed the weapon at his head. Small bits of water started to splatter all over the place.

"You don't have to do this! I was only throwing a tantrum!" I tried to apologise.

"I'm sorry Matthew but you were too late. I had enough of being a pokemon, I am constantly being used for others financial gain. I never wanted to fight other pokemon, I never wanted to hurt others. But I never had a choice did I? I had enough of fighting, I had enough. Playing the flute brings me and other people joy, it lets me forget that I have beaten some other pokemon for my trainer. Now that I have lost my only friend and my flute. There is no reason for me to continue." He said as he took a deep breath in to prepare himself.

"No! Don't do this! I'll make it up too you I promise." I persuaded.

"I'm sorry Matthew. The road of mine ends here, this gun is my key to escape this prison. I don't want to fight others anymore, I hate it, I have no choice." The dewott smiled. "Good bye Matthew. Say good bye to my trainer and loved one for me. I will see you on the other side. Good bye."

Sploot.

"NOOO!" I yelled while slithering as fast as I could to the blue body lying on the ground.

"Why did you have to do this?" I cried as the rain poured down. Tears and rain fell into his little pool of blood. "You were so young."

"Why! WHY! Why did you leave? Why did you leave...I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I apologised but it was already too late. The rain landed on my head before skipping down my cheeks becoming one with the tears.

I coiled around him giving him a hug that his soulless body deserves.

"You fucking idiot." I whispered to myself.

"You had so much potential. Why. It was my fault."

I cried and cried, he died because of me. I stayed with him, coiled around him never wanting to break the hug. I stayed with him until the police and ambulances came…but I left him.

What surprised me the most was out of the weeks we spent together he never mentioned anything about his problems. The chain of events happened so quick, I didn't see it coming. People can disguise themselves so well that when you realise it is too late to turn back, the road behind you is gone. Some people might be on the edge of a cliff and all it takes is a small poke to send them flying. Words are the ultimate weapon of destruction or the ultimate life saver.

I used to sit on that bench and teach a young dewott the flute. Now I sit alone on that bench only to watch the golden tinted waves splash forwards and backwards. I used to have a person to talk and laugh with. Now I morn, regretting a stupid mistake I made. As a teacher you are responsible for the fail or success of your student. As a friend you are responsible of keeping a priceless gift, friendship. Till this day I still remember what he has taught me because people like him deserve better than this. Till this day the guilt still latches onto me. Till this day I still have the Unova badge pinned on my coat.

"Will you ever come back? Why do you have to leave? Please come back." I said as I threw his broken flute into the tinted ocean.

He died with a smile, no tears. Maybe there was something going on that I don't know. It will forever remain a mystery.

* * *

 **The dewott in this story was based off a real person.**

 **Thanks for reading, this short story did definitely take a while. Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet. If requests for these short stories (stories that are based off real events and people that I've met and experienced) are bountiful I would definitely make more. The song Yet to be broken was created by a me.**

 **How does one request? Leave a review or PM, anonymously or public.**

 **If have have time check out my other stories such as "Suppressing silence" or "Greenest leaf."**

 **P.s Remember this "…a few years before the revolutionary manifesto." That was a reference to Micah Debrink's story "Pokemon manifesto." Check it out if you have time. I am not Matthew, Matthew is not me.**


End file.
